Notes from Mrs. Caso

These three projects were originally designed in 1998 for a symposium at NASA Glenn Research Center. They can still be found posted on their web site at http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/problems/foilindex.html.

 

FoilSim is an interactive simulation software package that examines the airflow around various shapes of airfoils. As you change parameters such as airspeed, altitude, angle of attack, thickness and curvature of the airfoil, and size of the wing area, the software calculates the lift. The package was created at the NASA Glenn Research Center.

 

For more information on the program applet itself, see the links to the right.

Lesson Plan

Part 1: Wing Area Investigation   (2 Days)
Objective(s):
  • After reading the explanation given on the project page, use FoilSim to determine the weight of the aircraft that can be lifted by a pair of wings of each type.
  • Design a unique planform of a wing to lift a plane weighing at least 11,200 pounds.
Assessment: You, or you and your partner, will be evaluated on the accuracy of your answers and creativity in design.
Evaluation: You will demonstrate the ability to use information found on the World Wide Web and in FoilSim to complete calculations involving area and lift and to design a unique wing planform.
           
Part 2: Velocity Effects   (2 Days)
Objective(s):
  • After reading the explanation given on the project page, use FoilSim to complete the activity to determine the constant in a "direct variation to a square" equation.
  • Then use the constant to extrapolate to other situations and verify the results of the equation using FoilSim.
Assessment: You, or you and your partner, will be evaluated on the accuracy of your answers and your ability to explain how you arrived at your decisions.
Evaluation: You will demonstrate the ability to use information found on the Internet and in FoilSim to complete the activities and discuss your findings.
Part 3: Lift Equation Problems (1 Day)
Objective(s):
  • After reading the explanation given on the project page, use FoilSim to complete the activity.
  • There will be a need to solve a multivariable equation for each of the variables and apply the results to various problems in different situations.
Assessment: You, or you and your partner, will be evaluated on the accuracy of your answers and your ability to explain how you arrived at your decisions.
Evaluation: You will demonstrate the ability to use information found on the Internet and in FoilSim to complete the activities and discuss your findings.
 
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